So far today, we have seen some very exciting baseball, with terrific defense being shown by all six teams that have completed play.
The early contest - at Lamade Stadium - was a consolation game between the Europe-Africa Region champs from Emilia, Italy versus the Northwest Region champs from Bend, Oregon. On a personal note, I was excited to have been invited into the "replay bunker," where I was even able to assist on a challenge by the Bend manager on a play at 2nd base. Honestly, it wasn't even close, the ump got it right, but the runner was sure he beat the tag. As it turns out, this was the first time in the tournament that an umpire's ruling was upheld on a challenged call. I smiled ear to ear.
Bend beat the Emilia team 6-2, behind 4 1/2 innings of lights-out pitching by Isaiah Jensen. Julian Mora had two hits in the win.
The 2nd game was contested in Volunteer Stadium, matching the Australia Region champions from Sydney against the Latin America champions, hailing from Aguadulce, Panama. The Panamanians took a 1-0 lead in the second frame on a monster shot by Joaquin Tejada to dead-center field. This was also the first hit by ether team in the game.
Panama lead 2-0 heading o the 6th, but Brent Iredale tied it up with a two-run homer to right field. In the bottom of the sixth, Panama loaded the bases with one out. Next, was a fielder's choice earning the Australians the 2nd out on a force at the plate. Unfortunately, Jose Tiorres then earned the only walk surrendered by Australia all day, and Panama walked off with a victory, sending them just one game away from the International Championship game on Saturday afternoon.
Following this excitement was a game between the Southeast Region winners from Goodlettsville, TN and the Mid-Atlantic Region champs from Maine-Endwell Little League in New York. Maine-Endwell took a 2-0 lead in the first on a home run by Ryan Harlost and went on to a 3-1 victory. Goodlettsville's only run scored on a HR by Zach McWilliams in the sixth.
Part II will contain coverage of the Canada-South Korea (Asia-Pacific Region) game at 6PM, followed by Great Lakes (Bowling Green, KY) vs. Midwest (Johnston, IA) at 8:00.
Monday, August 22, 2016
Sunday, August 21, 2016
Little League World Series - Sunday, August 21, 2016
I will be seated in Volunteer and Lamade Stadiums the next three days covering the Little League World Series. This tournament is the conclusion of the Little League International baseball season, having started with approximately 70,000 teams across the globe. Players endured district, sectional, state (or country) and regional tournaments, which started in early-July, and the remaining 16 teams came to Williamsport, PA last Thursday.
The finalists are as followed:
United States Qualifiers
Great Lakes Region: Bowling Green, KY
Mid-Atlantic Region: Endwell, NY
Midwest Region: Johnston, IA
New England Region: Warwick, RI
Northwest Region: Bend, OR
Southeast Region: Goodlettsville, TN
Southwest Region: San Antonio, TX
West Region: Chula Vista, CA
International Qualifiers
Asia-Pacific Region: Seoul, South Korea
Australia Region: New South Wales, Sydney
Canada Region: Vancouver, British Colunbia
Caribbean Region: Willemstad, Curacao
Europe-Africa Region: Emilia, Italy
Japan Region: Tokyo, Japan
Latin America Region: Aguadulce, Panama
Mexico Region: San Nicolas, Mexico
A hearty congratulations to all of the players/coaches/families fo making it this far! Best of luck in the World Series!! (plenty of pics to follow)
The finalists are as followed:
United States Qualifiers
Great Lakes Region: Bowling Green, KY
Mid-Atlantic Region: Endwell, NY
Midwest Region: Johnston, IA
New England Region: Warwick, RI
Northwest Region: Bend, OR
Southeast Region: Goodlettsville, TN
Southwest Region: San Antonio, TX
West Region: Chula Vista, CA
International Qualifiers
Asia-Pacific Region: Seoul, South Korea
Australia Region: New South Wales, Sydney
Canada Region: Vancouver, British Colunbia
Caribbean Region: Willemstad, Curacao
Europe-Africa Region: Emilia, Italy
Japan Region: Tokyo, Japan
Latin America Region: Aguadulce, Panama
Mexico Region: San Nicolas, Mexico
A hearty congratulations to all of the players/coaches/families fo making it this far! Best of luck in the World Series!! (plenty of pics to follow)
Tuesday, August 16, 2016
Lehigh Valley Iron Pigs vs. SWB RailRiders 8/9/16
It is a beautiful night for baseball in Wilkes-Barre, PA. Tonight's game features the Lehigh Valley Iron Pigs and the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders. The Iron Pigs are the AAA International League club of the Philadelphia Phillies and the RailRiders are the junior New York Yankees team.
Featured prior to the game is a Parade of Champions honoring the teams competing in the 9-10 Little League Softball East Regional Invitational tournament, which I have the privilege of volunteering as an umpire for this week. The players came in uniform and their managers each threw out a first pitch in front of a near-capacity crowd at PNC Field.
The RailRiders got off to a quick start, beginning with a triple to center field by Clint Frazier. An Aaron Judge single followed, scoring the game's first run.
Lehigh Valley got on the scoreboard in the top of the 2nd with their first hit - a Cameron Perkins line drive over he center field fence for a home run. The Iron Pigs took a 2-1 lead in the 5th after a Logan Moore leadoff double was followed by singles hit by Peter Bourjos (in LV on a rehab assignment) and JP Crawford.
SWB tied the game in the bottom of the 6th when Donovan Solano's sacrifice fly scored Tyler Austin, who doubled early in the frame.
Both starting pitchers wen five innings. LV's Phil Klein yielded one run on four hits while SWB's Chad Green gave up two runs on 6 hits.
In the bottom of the ninth, game still tied at 2-2, RailRiders catcher Kyle Hagoshioka drew a one-out walk, went to to 2nd on an erroneous pickoff attempt and was replaced by pinch runner Cesar Puello. Puello went to third on a Pete Kozma single to center, which CF Cam Perkins dove for but could not hold on to.
Puello then scored the winning run on a Ben Gamel sac fly to left field. RailRiders win 3-2. Dalier Hinojosa took the loss for Lehigh Valley and Jonathan Holder picked up his first win as a RailRider in relief.
Featured prior to the game is a Parade of Champions honoring the teams competing in the 9-10 Little League Softball East Regional Invitational tournament, which I have the privilege of volunteering as an umpire for this week. The players came in uniform and their managers each threw out a first pitch in front of a near-capacity crowd at PNC Field.
The RailRiders got off to a quick start, beginning with a triple to center field by Clint Frazier. An Aaron Judge single followed, scoring the game's first run.
Lehigh Valley got on the scoreboard in the top of the 2nd with their first hit - a Cameron Perkins line drive over he center field fence for a home run. The Iron Pigs took a 2-1 lead in the 5th after a Logan Moore leadoff double was followed by singles hit by Peter Bourjos (in LV on a rehab assignment) and JP Crawford.
SWB tied the game in the bottom of the 6th when Donovan Solano's sacrifice fly scored Tyler Austin, who doubled early in the frame.
Both starting pitchers wen five innings. LV's Phil Klein yielded one run on four hits while SWB's Chad Green gave up two runs on 6 hits.
In the bottom of the ninth, game still tied at 2-2, RailRiders catcher Kyle Hagoshioka drew a one-out walk, went to to 2nd on an erroneous pickoff attempt and was replaced by pinch runner Cesar Puello. Puello went to third on a Pete Kozma single to center, which CF Cam Perkins dove for but could not hold on to.
Puello then scored the winning run on a Ben Gamel sac fly to left field. RailRiders win 3-2. Dalier Hinojosa took the loss for Lehigh Valley and Jonathan Holder picked up his first win as a RailRider in relief.
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